


Everybody Wants To Be An Inu Youkai

by superpixie42



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe, F/M, did you know the Aristocats is really bleak once you remove the singing cats?, its a disney AU if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27442105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superpixie42/pseuds/superpixie42
Summary: A birthday one-shot for kstewdeux very vaguely based on the plot of the Aristocats.When Kagome, newly widowed with a newborn son, is named the heir of her mother-in-law's enormous estate things suddenly go from bad to worse. She's drugged, kidnaped, and left for dead on the side of the road. With the help of some unexpected new friends, Kagome finds herself questioning: does she even want to make it back home?
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Comments: 11
Kudos: 41





	Everybody Wants To Be An Inu Youkai

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kstewdeux](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kstewdeux/gifts).



Kagome was deeply uncomfortable. Two days after giving birth, she wanted nothing more than to spend the day in bed with her new baby but instead she was dressed in her best (dark colored) finery, sitting stone still, and feeling her stomach turn in knots that had nothing to do with her shifting organs. But she had birthed a son- and that meant her mother-in-law would announce today if this new baby would take his late father’s place as next in line for inheritance, or if Naraku, her late husband’s younger brother, would jump the line of succession ahead of the infant. Her fate now rested in the old woman’s hands. Kaede was kind and generous, and Kagome had no fear of being turned away from the home she’d very much made her own since her marriage two years ago, but there was a wide gap between being a widow with kind in-laws and being the mother of the heir to a multi-million dollar estate. There had been no love lost between Naraku and Hojo, and if he became executor of the estate Kagome knew her time there would be short. 

After a small eternity, Kaede and her attorney, the equally ancient and somewhat senile Totosai, called the room to attention. Kagome tried not to roll her eyes at the formality -- the room only consisted of the four of them. 

“Thank you for joining me,” began Kaede, “as we celebrate and acknowledge this glorious change in our household. Kagome has given me a beautiful grandson-- have you named the boy yet, my child?”

“Mitsuo, Lady Kaede.”

“Very good,” she continued, “Mitsuo, the only child of my late son Hojo. As matriarch and manager of this great family and our works it is my duty and honor to name my successor. Kagome, you are a strange child, but my son chose well in his partner both in life and in business. Therefore you shall be my legal successor until such time as Mitsuo is ready to take his place as head of the family. My second son, Naraku, shall maintain ownership over his own holdings and shall be listed in my will as successor only if young Mitsuo fails to produce heirs of his own.”

The room was stunned into silence. It wasn’t unheard of for wealthy families to name daughters as heirs, but a widowed in-law was unusual to say the least. While Kagome was shocked, looking from Totosai to Kaede as if they had just named the cats as heirs, Naraku seethed- his anger causing a chill to fall over the room. He said nothing and instead swept from the room, slamming the door behind him with so much force it jumped out of the track, the beams shaking violently. While Totosai and Kaede continued to talk business at her, Kagome found herself unable to process this new information, her mind too focused on the potential repercussions of this unusual decision. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

It was early, Kagome knew that much. However, that was all she knew as she awoke from an unexpectedly heavy sleep. She’d spent all day with Totosai signing papers, then was finally allowed to leave to nurse her son and have a much needed hearty meal. After dinner she and Mitsou had laid down for bed… but there was no way he’d slept long enough for the dusk to disappear to this complete darkness. The floor under her shook violently and Kagome found herself jolted to full alertness. She wasn’t in her room anymore, but in the back of what seemed to be a covered wagon, the thick tarp sides blocking out all light. Her heart dropped out of her chest as she frantically searched for her missing child- only breathing again when she found him wrapped in fabric in the corner of the wagon- unhurt and sleeping peacefully. Kagome had to think fast- she only had a few moments until her son was likely to awake, his inevitable noise altering their captors. 

Kagome stripped out of her outer layer, using the kimono and obi to create a makeshift carrier, and strapped Mitsou securely to her back. It left her more exposed than she wanted to be, but her shorter under layers would allow her to move more quickly and run more freely. She slowly made her way to the end of the wagon and lifted the corner of the tarp. They were on a wide trade road, the sun just risen off in the west, and she could hear what sounded like a river not too far off. Kagome felt a small bit of hope. A river meant fish, which meant fishermen, which meant a village hopefully not too far away. Surely someone would help her… if she could make it there before nightfall. She lifted the tarp a little higher. There was no one else around them, thankfully, so all she had to do was buck up the courage to jump. 

Or at least, that had been her plan. 

In less than a minute Kagome’s unseen captor shouted at something in the road, the horses spooked, and Kagome was flung down to the dirt as the wagon dashed down the road without her. Looking around her, Kagome immediately wished she’d stayed in the wagon. Standing barely three yards away was a toad demon: huge, slimy, and looking at her with hunger in its bulging eyes. It’s croak rolled through her like a sonic wave, disorienting her even further. She stumbled as she tried to stand and run, falling back down to her knees as the monster lunged for her. She barely had time to fling her hands up in front of her face before her vision was filled with red.

Not blood red, but a soft fuzzy red, quickly followed by a sheet of bright silver. 

Another demon, this one the size of a man, rushed in front her, stopping the toad’s bullrush. The silver haired demon took a defensive stance, brandishing the long claws at the end of his thin fingers. He spoke like a man- maybe he was a man, no those were definitely dog ears on top of his head- telling the toad to leave her alone. When the toad refused, choosing instead to use its horrible tongue like a spear, the demon-man grabbed the offending tongue and used it to fling the toad off the road, down the bank, and into the small river. He lunged to follow after it, but stopped suddenly turning to finally face her. 

He was beautiful. His fluffy ears swiveled around sounding out threats, his eyes were bright amber, his pointed nose sniffing towards her, and his thick dark eyebrows drew together in a confused expression. 

“You smell like blood, did he get you?” 

“I, what?”

He looked her up and down, clearly seeing that she wasn’t outwardly injured. 

“No wonder he attacked you stupid, what’re you going walking around in your underwear!”

Beautiful, but a jerk.

“I’m not out here by choice!” Kagome shouted at him, “I was kidnapped! And I smell like blood because I’m bleeding thank you very much.” Right on cue Mitsou began to cry, causing her rescuer to visibly jump. 

“You brought your baby to a kidnapping?”

Kagome blinked at him. Surely no man or demon was that thick headed. “Again, not my choice. We woke up in a wagon, I have no idea where we are or where we were going. But I need to get him home as soon as I can. Where are we?” 

“Edge of Musashi province- why would someone kidnap you?”

Kagome looked at him, unsure how smart it was to tell him she’d likely been kidnapped for ransom since she’d just come into a pile of money. But she owed him her life, the least she could give him was her trust. But first…

“What’s your name?”

He was clearly not expecting that question and he narrowed his eyes at her, “Why?”

“I’d like to be able to thank you properly for saving us, can’t do that without a name.”

“You-- want to thank a hanyou?” 

Ah, thought Kagome, that explains the ears.

“Why wouldn’t I? You saved my son’s life, and mine.”

He was clearly still uncomfortable but finally he said “Um, Inuyasha.”

Kagome adjusted her hold on Mitsou, bowing as deep as her shifting insides would allow. Now that the adrenaline had ebbed away, her body was angrily protesting all of her sudden activity. Her movement was halted though, as she felt Inuyasha quickly scoop her up and set her on a log on the side of the road with Mitsou in her lap.

“Knock that shit off, you’re hurt.” 

As she sat on the log and nursed Mitsou, Kagome told Inuyasha about her life the last few days.

“Let me get this straight,” he said as she finished, “You’re telling me you came into a ton of money, and then were kidnapped to either be held for ransom or sold to slavers, and you want to take your kid back to the people who let you get kidnapped?”

“I told you, I have to get back and see Kaede. She’s my family. If someone is willing to kidnap a baby who knows what horrible thing they’d do to an old woman!” Kagome closed her eyes and fought her rising anger. Mitsou had finally gone back to sleep and her shouting was guaranteed to wake him up again.

“So you’re gonna walk the three days back and hope when you get there you don’t just get killed?”

“I.. alright it’s not a great plan but it’s all I’ve got. Kaede is all I’ve got. She’d do it for me. Can you help me? Please?” 

Inuyasha stood silently, clearly thinking it over. He looked back and forth from Kagome to the sleeping baby, his left ear twitching, before finally rolling his eyes so hard Kagome could feel it, and throwing his hands in the air.

“Fine, wait here.”

In one inhuman and shockingly graceful leap he was out of sight. Kagome thought she heard a shriek, but soon it was replaced by steady hoofsteps. Inuyasha returned, leading a small mare and an empty merchant cart. 

Kagome was shocked. “Did you just steal that cart?” she asked in a shrill voice. 

“Keh, don’t get so prissy, I didn’t take it. Owner took one look at me and abandoned it.”

“Still…”

“Look, you can walk on the moral high road for three days smelling like prey or you can take the cart and be home tomorrow, your choice.”

With a frown Kagome accepted this as her best option. He was right, she couldn’t exactly spend two nights out in the elements. Begrudgingly, she accepted Inuyasha’s help as he lifted her up into the driver’s seat, adjusting her makeshift carrier so Mitsou was now strapped to her chest, and attempting to pull her robe down as far on her legs as possible. It was fully daylight now, but the autumn chill still hung in the air. 

“Here,” she was surprised to see Inuyasha pulling his bright red suikan open and away from his body. He draped it around her shoulders, overlapping the warm cloth snuggly across the sleeping baby. Infant appropriately covered, he stepped away from the cart and turned to walk into the woods.

“Wait!” Kagome cried, “aren’t you coming with us? I can pay you, anything you want, once we get home.”

Inuyasha looked at her and shook his head, “You’re on your own. I ain’t got no interest in helping on a suicide mission. You were lucky to escape the first time. Just head west, and good luck.” He walked back to the cart and smacked the horse’s rump- encouraging her to take off at a smooth pace down the road. He walked into the woods, not once looking back as Kagome stared after him, unsure why her heart was so disappointed that he wasn’t coming with. They had just turned the first bend in the road when Kagome saw him out the corner of her eye, running through the trees keeping pace with the cart. She didn’t jump when he came flying out of the thicket and landed with unnaturally little weight on the back of the horse, sitting on his haunches and fitting her with a disapproving look. 

“You’re really going back?”

“I’m really going back.”

He signed dramatically and dropped into the driver’s seat next to her. 

“I ain’t doing this for a reward,” he grumbled under his breath, “I just want my jacket back.”

Kagome didn't say anything, a small smile pulling at her lips as they drove on in silence. 

Kagome made it a full hour into their journey before she had no choice but to stop and relieve herself. Pulling the horse to a stop, she carefully unwound her obi and released the newly awake Mitsou from her chest. Without a word, she placed the baby in Inuyasha’s arms and started her ginger descent from the driver's seat down to the road. She couldn’t see behind her, but Inuyasha’s eyebrows had risen so far up his face they were completely obscured by his fringe, his eyes wide in absolute panic, and his shoulders stiff and unmoving. 

As Kagome’s finally made it off the cart, her impending departure finally forced his lungs to breathe again so he could shout at her, “What the hell do you think you’re doing woman!?”

She turned, biting her lip to keep herself from laughing at her companion’s ludicrous expression. “I have to go to the bathroom and need you to hold him for me,” she said as if it was the most obvious thing in the word. Which, to her, it was. Inuyasha’s ears were pinned back flat against his skull: clearly it wasn’t obvious to him. She added, “It will be fine. He doesn’t even bite yet.” And with that she turned and walked behind a tree just off the road.

Inuyasha was beyond sunned. Nobody had ever trusted him before. Not to sit next to him. Not to tell them their life and their troubles. Sure as fuck not to hold their infant son. He wrapped his suiktan a little tighter around the boy, taking a small moment to himself to enjoy the fact that for possibly the only time in his life, a child was smiling at him. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

The two unlikely travel companions were far from silent during their journey. Inuyasha didn’t say much, but Kagome was more than happy to talk enough for the both of them. As the day waned and the sun began to set, Inuyasha found himself feeling unusually relaxed. He liked listening to Kagome talk, he liked it when she handed him the baby all swaddled up in his jacket, and hell he even liked it when she took a nap in the back of the wagon. She trusted him and that… that was something he still didn’t totally understand but absolutely did not want to lose. She’d offered him a reward, maybe she would let him stay with her? A bodyguard maybe? But he couldn’t even lie to himself, he knew it wouldn't work. She was going back to her fancy house and her fancy family and was going to need to find a new fancy husband… there was no room for someone like him in that world. 

He was so lost in these melancholy thoughts-- and Kagome so caught up in retelling the story of the time she and her brother fell into a well on their property-- that he completely missed the smell of demon in the air. From somewhere above them came a booming voice:  
I AM THE SPIRIT OF THE FOREST AND I 

They never heard what this ‘spirit’ wanted. At the sudden noise the horse spooked, bolting down the road and rattling the cart. Inuyasha quickly grabbed Kagome around the shoulders and under her knees, leaping into the low branches of a tree. He held her tight against his chest, Mitsou secured between them as the voice cried out again:  
HEY I’M TALKING TO YOU HERE! YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME!

A huge floating blob approached their branch, its face hidden in shadow as it placed itself between them and the sun. Mitsou, sensing his mother’s distress, began to wail and thrash inside his obi carrier. There was a soft POP and the blob disappeared, replaced with a small kitsune with long pointed ears, a leaf print vest, and a puffy tail sticking out the back of his little green hakama. He dropped quickly to the ground, landing with a small bounce.

“I’m sorry!” he cried up at the tree, “I didn’t know you had a baby!” He crossed his arms in a pout and looked at Inuyasha. “What’s the bright idea anyway- taking your woman on a dangerous route like this. It’s crawling with bandits - not to mention demons!” 

Deciding the runt wasn’t much of a threat, Inuyasha took his charge down to the ground as gently as he could. “Yeah, well if I see any demons I’ll let you know,” he said in a dismissive tone. He gave Kagome a quick once over from her place in his arms where he was absentmindedly stroking the bare flesh on her leg, and realized exactly what it looked like. Inuyasha set Kagome on her feet and took two solid steps to the left, leaving a clear gap between them without her or the baby actually being out of grabbing range. “And she ain’t my woman,” he added flatly.

“No?” ask the fox, sniffing the air, “she smells like your woman.” He took a step closer to sniff at the baby, stopping when he heard Inuyasha’s warning growl. “Kid does, too.” He turned towards Kagome and bowed. “I’m Shippou, I’m sorry I scared your little one. I didn’t mean to- I usually taunt the bandits and merchants on the road when I’m bored. I would never stoop so low as to hurt a child.” 

Kagome returned the bow as best she could, “It’s alright Shippou, but thank you. Inuyasha is helping us get home to the city.”

Shippou turned to Inuyasha again. “What kind of dumb dog are you? You’re going the wrong way!” Quick as lightning Inuyasha’s fist came out on Shippou’s head earning him a shrill “Inuyasha he’s just a kid!” for his efforts. 

“Shows what you know,” said Inuyasha, “it’s a shortcut.” 

“Shows what you know if your shortcut is on a dangerous road!” retorted Shippou, “If you really wanted to save time you’d go through the woods not around it.”

Inuyasha pointed his clawed finger at Kagome, her fatigue already evident from her slouching posture, “What am I spos to do? Make her waddle the whole way there?” 

“You can’t carry her? What kind of weak demon can’t even carry a woman!” 

After three more fist strikes the travelers left Shippou in the dust-- Kagome and Mitsou held securely in Inuyasha’s arms as he raced through the forest. Inuyasha was silently thankful for how dense the trees in this forest were since focusing on dodging them as he ran left no opportunity for him to think about his hands on Kagome’s bare thighs, or about how nice it felt when she nuzzled into the crook of his neck, or how happy his soul was at the idea of a woman being happy that her child smelled like him. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

The sun was setting, and even though she didn’t say anything Inuyasha knew Kagome must be starving. They’d made it a fair distance into the forest, but she’d stopped to nurse Mitsou three times: a lot of food going out without any new food going in. Even at his top speed Inuyasha knew they wouldn’t make it into the city before nightfall at this rate. Kagome could feel as confident as she wanted, there was no way a hanyou, an injured woman, and a newborn should be wandering around the city after dark. He grumbled to himself, knowing what he had to do. He picked up speed and ran south this time, diverting from his mostly east path. It only took a moment before he could see the little hut in the distance, smoke from dinner rising out of the roof. He stopped just out of earshot from any of the windows. 

“What’s going on?” Kagome asked. She’d remained silent the whole trip, letting Inuyasha focus on navigating around the trees and rocks, trusting him to find his way through the dense vegetation. 

“A place to stay the night. I’m warning you now though, it might not be particularly quiet, but it's safer than sleeping outside.”

Kagome smiled up at him, the expression causing his insides to squirm in a not entirely unpleasant way, “Thank you Inuyasha. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me yet, “ he said with a slight blush crawling across his nose. 

He closed in on the hut, setting Kagome down as he knocked on the door. There was clearly a lot of commotion happening inside, but eventually the door was opened by a young bright eyed woman in a pink and white kimono, green wrap skirt, and a baby on her hip.

Before Kagome could even say hello Inuyasha cried out “Fuck, another one Sango? Can’t the letch keep his hands to himself for once?” 

The woman, Sango, laughed and stepped aside as a young man- presumably the letch- came to the door. “I would ask if you were jealous, old friend, but it seems you’ve finally joined me in fatherhood.” The man wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, each movement taking Kagome’s blush a shade darker. 

“He ain’t mine, Miroku.” Inuyasha’s gruff reply instantly sobered his two friends. They quickly ushered Kagome into the hut, offering her a cushion next to the fire with their three other children-- twin girls and a toddler boy. Sango offered to take the baby and change him while Kagome inhaled their offered supper, telling them about the last two days of her life between mouthfuls. Miroku sat holding a daughter on each leg, deep in thought over Kagome’s predicament. Sango, having successfully put both infants down, came and joined them at the fire. She claimed one little girl from her husband and settled in next to Kagome.

“Would you like to stay here, Kagome?” Sango asked. “It’s not the most luxurious, but you and Inuyasha are welcome to stay as long as you need to. We can help with your son, help you get used to living in the forest. We can offer you a different kind of life than the one you were stolen away from.” 

Inuyasha wanted to correct them, again, that he and Kagome weren’t a couple. But as he looked at her, warm and full, looking so content, his mouth simply refused to let him lie. So instead he was silent, as Kagome looked around her with wide, hopeful eyes.

“I think I could be very happy here. You’ve all been so kind, more kind than I ever would have expected,” her eyes moved to Inuyasha and he heard her heartbeat suddenly pick up, color coming to her cheeks. She broke eye contact and looked at the fire, her body language clearly communicating her drop in mood. “But, I can’t. I have to warn Kaede, I have to go back, she needs me.” 

Sango placed a gentle hand on Kagome’s knee, “I understand how important family is- either by blood or by circumstance.” She stood and unceremoniously dumped her daughter into Inuyasha’s lap. The young girl was more than pleased with the change in supervision, immediately climbing his strong arms, onto his shoulders, and digging her hands into his soft hair, a misshapen braid already starting to take shape. “Well then come with me, we can at least get you cleaned up for traveling again tomorrow.” Kagome allowed Sango to guide her through the hut and outside to the wash tub but Inuyasha couldn’t help but notice that her unblinking gaze was on him the whole time. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Kagome woke up feeling more rested than she had in days. She’d made it through a whole dream cycle for the first time in far too long, and her bed was soft and warm and… snoring? All at once the last two days came rushing back to her: the announcement, the kidnapping, the rescue, Inuyasha. She tried to quickly sit up and hissed in pain from moving too much too soon. 

A broad, clawed hand gently pushed her back down, “Calm down already would ya? Jeez your heartbeat sounds like a scared animal.”

Kagome turned towards the voice behind her and found herself face-to-face with Inuyasha. His cream kosode was loose and slightly open and he lay on his side, spooned in behind her. Behind him she could just make out the shapes of what she assumed were Sango, Miroku, and their children all crammed into the one sleeping room. Feeling calm now that she could recognize their surroundings she lay back down and peaked under Inuyasha’s red suikan that she and Mitsou were using as a blanket. Her son’s little fist was twitching next to his ear and his face and scrunched up-- he’d be awake and hungry any minute. She took in a long breath and let it out slowly through her nose and she settled back into Inuyasha’s chest. She felt him stiffen behind her, but since he didn’t relocate her she decided to enjoy her quiet moment of make-believe. 

She had been telling Sango the truth last night: she did really believe she could be happy here. Honestly, maybe happier than she would be back home. But Kaede and Mitsou were the only family she had. Kaede had been so good to them, especially after Hojo’s death. No matter how much Kagome wanted to stay, to wake up every morning like this, she knew she couldn’t. Maybe she could convince Inuyasha to stay on at the house as a guard, or working in the gardens, but she knew the kind of ridicule and cruelty he faced in her city. No matter how much she might want it, she couldn’t ask him to endure that for her. 

Her brooding was interrupted by Mitsou’s gentle fussing. Behind her, she felt Inuyasha get up and head towards the door, whispering to her that he was going to find her some breakfast. She sat up and nursed Mitsou, encouraging him to eat as much as his tiny tummy could handle. They had a long day ahead of them.

They left Sango and Miroku just after sunrise. Kagome was dressed in a borrowed white and red kimono and green wrap skirt- borrowed because she swore up and down that as soon as she was home she would be using her new role to ensure everyone who had helped her was generously compensated, no matter how much Inuyasha protested he didn’t want anything. Mitsou was also in a new borrowed outfit - a happy blue chosen by the twins - and wrapped up in the red suikan to keep him warm out in the elements. 

They reached the outskirts of town just after noon, even with Kagome stalling as much as she could. She must have been the only woman alive who wanted her child to fuss and demand attention, but instead he was calm and content in his firerat swaddle, gently swaying in his mother’s warm embrace as Inuyasha dashed through the remaining forest with inhuman grace. They stopped in an alley just around the corner from the grand home- Inuyasha choosing not to take her to the door and cause a scene. 

“You could come with us, you know. You’re my rescuer, please let me thank you properly.” she insisted as he eventually turned to leave. 

“I told you I didn’t do this for the reward,” he replied, his back still turned to them.

“Well then let me at least give you back your jacket,” Kagome said in a small voice. She began to unwrap the makeshift swaddle; Mitsou immediately protested the loss of warmth. His angry grunts forced Inuyasha to turn around. 

He took the fabric out of Kagome’s hand and replaced it back over the baby, quieting him instantly. “He likes it more than I do anyway- keep it.” With that simple declaration he lept up onto the roof of the building, his landing making no sound, and sprinted across the rooftops and back out of the city. With no other choice, Kagome walked out the alley and down the street to her home, which suddenly felt much less homely. She stood outside the door and knocked. Her heart was so broken, her focus so entirely on the hanyou who had rushed away from her, she didn’t her the gasp as the door opened, or realize she wasn’t being lead into the main sitting room but into an unused storage room until she heard the door slam shut and a lock clang loudy. Kagome was startled and immediately started to bang on the fusuma- but nobody answered even though she could hear voices on the other side. Realizing Inuyasha had been right- coming back had been a terrible mistake- Kagome rested her head against the locked door and tried to listen. What she heard did not fill her with any kind of hope.

“What do you mean they’re back?” came the cold, calculating voice of her brother-in-law Naraku.

“Exactly what I said, they’re back. They’re locked in this time, but who knows who all saw them wandering through town and waiting at the door,” replied Kagura, Naraku’s slave. 

“There shouldn’t have been enough pieces left to come back. What’s wrong Kagura, couldn’t kill the woman?” taunted Naraku.

“You own my life, not my soul, I’m not killing a kid so you can be rich,” was her terse reply. 

“Fine, I’ll do it myself. Make sure they don’t leave, or you will regret it.” And with that Kagome heard his heavy footsteps disappear down the hall. 

Kagome began banging on the door again, “Kagura, Kagura please let me out!”

“I can’t do that and you know it,” she said in a harsh whisper against the door, “I tried to help you before and you were stupid and came back. It’s out of my hands.”

Kagome began pacing around the little windowless room. There was no way she was strong enough to break down the door, or fast enough to run away even if Kagura did unlock it for her. But she knew someone who was, someone who would come help her even if it was just so he could gloat about being right. 

“Kagura, you’re a demon right?”

“What’s your point?”

“Can you track people by smell? Or through the air?”

“I’m a wind sorceress, I can find anyone.”

“I need you to find Inuyasha--”

“The half-breed?”

“Yes! Please, Kagura, you can’t let me out but Naraku didn’t say anything about letting someone else in. Please, you’re my only hope!” 

Kagome’s pleas were met with a cold silence. 

Kagome had no idea how long she had been in that room. Kagura had stopped responding to her, nothing came of her banging and clamoring at the door, and she had finally worn herself beyond tired framing pacing the room checking for hidden passages, secret windows, or anything to help her escape. All she’d found was a few old floor cushions, a case, and a basket of old clothes. 

Suddenly she heard the door rattle in it’s frame. Moving as quickly as she was able she hid Mitsou in the basket and took the vase in hand as she stood next to the door. As the wood splintered inward she smashed the vase down on the head of the intruder; realizing too late that instead of the dark wavey hair of Naraku the vase shattered into sleek silver hair.

“The fuck’s wrong with you woman!” Inuyasha shouted at her, “I come rescue your ass and this is the thanks I get?” He shook his head to dislodge the small pieces of ceramic and Kagome took her opportunity to leap at him. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, nearly toppling him off balance. She couldn’t help herself-- she grabbed the sides of his face, forcing him to look down at her and she kissed him. Not a peck. Not a smooch. A proper loving kiss. A thank you, an I’m sorry for leaving, and a you were right all rolled together into one affectionate meeting between his lips and hers. After a moment’s shock, Inuyasha returned the kiss. His tongue slid into her mouth, the kiss transporting his thoughts directly into her heart: I know I was right, and I shouldn’t have left , and I’ll always come back for you. 

Their telepathic conversation was interrupted as Kagura cleared her throat loudly, “You may want to stop that, we have company.” She used her fan to point down the hall where the entire household was rushing to find the source of the noise. Inuyasha’s entrance to the house had been anything but stealthy-- kicking the locked door in wasn’t even the biggest mess he’d managed to make. 

As Kaede, Totosai, a half dozen maids, Naraku, and three members of the house security team arrived at the unused storage room they were met by the most unexpected scene. The door was in splinters, the floor was littered with wood and ceramic, and standing in the middle of the destruction were Inuyasha and Kagome standing hand-in-hand, with Mitsou cradled in Inuyasha’s right arm. 

“Kagome!” cried Kaede, stepping into the room, her one good eye moving swiftly between her daughter-in-law, the homewrecker, and the chaos around them. “What is the meaning of all this?” 

“Old woman,” said Inuyasha, his voice barely above a growl, his glare fixed firmly on Naraku, “you ‘n’ me gotta have a talk.”

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Kagome stood in the doorway of her hut and looked out into the yard. Across the way she could see Sango hanging laundry on the line as Hisui tried his best to pull everything out of the basket. Miroku was fighting with the twins in the washtub, trying to wash their long, unruly hair. Inuyasha was lounging under a tree, Mitsou and baby Daisuke sleeping soundly on his layed out suikan. A year ago she never would have dreamed this would be her life. A year ago she’d been a pregnant widow at the mercy of her in-laws and unsure of her place in the world. Now, she knew exactly who she was and where she belonged. 

She was Inuyasha’s wife and she was home.


End file.
